I stay at "high-end" hotels regularly, but they don't call themselves that because they're self aware enough to know there are always more expensive options available to the customer for whom price is no object (in economic terms, unconstrained by budget line).

Have done many trips to Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton (and other Marriott brands), Conrad (and other Hilton brands), LXR (also Hilton), etc. The way you can tell if something is starting to be truly high-end is when service becomes anticipatory, not reactionary. e.g. Stay at a Courtyard, employees merely do their jobs and you ask if you want something because you bought a commodity product. Stay at Ritz-Carlton, employees have a list of guests, recognize them, and actively pay attention and notice if they should offer something. You can ask, and the answer is never no. Getting to yes is not free, but they're well prepared for the customer's needs given your ability to pay. Read about how the Ritz-Carlton way of managing hotels works in one of the many inspirational books that's been published about it.

Once you have this down, you immediately start noticing which properties are the former, and which are the latter. Chains, brands, don't really matter so much as the individual property and their STR rate category (industry standard). Morons will say something about a star ranking but that's just for entertainment nowadays.

If you like more schtick, places like Aman will boast about an employee to guest ratio, but this is not really that relevant as the higher end you go the more employees per guest. The defining characteristic of a high-end property isn't just some "feature" like you check off a list, but rather everything you expect is already there and anything not there you can ask for and someone will make it happen. The vast majority of the time, this concept is too hard for the poorfag mind to grasp

>>2871807
I mostly stay at upscale like Kempinski. Not sure what features you are looking for but I never feel like I need something and they can't get it for me. The maid never ring the door while I am inside but the room is always cleaned after I left. One time I need a wine bottle opened at midnight and they sent someone up right away. I need a pajama in the morning and they get me one before evening. I also get late checkout and complimentary gifts whenever I stay.

I did stay at some higher end brands like the Mandarin, Four Season, Ritz Carlton and maybe Anantara if you count it as luxury. But the higher prices aren't justified because there isn't much more they can offer. I once stayed at the Bellustar Tokyo, which is a Michelin key hotel. They charged triple the prices of the hotel next door but they offered mostly the same stuff with no practical difference.

>>2871865
>Kempinski
Pretends to be German, is actually Thai
>Mandarin
Hong Kong
>Bellustar
It's a Pan Pacific, which is Hong Kong again

>>2871870
>Thai
Just a minority shareholder.

>Hong Kong
what's wrong with Hong Kong? If anything, I think they have better service than American corporate chains like Hilton or Marriot. Qatar airways let me stay at some Marriot in Doha for layovers and I was not impressed.

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Thoughts on this chart? I have never heard for the top tier and I considered myself to be upper-middle class. Only billionaires stay there or what?

>>2871874
Using brand-only to classify properties is as ignorant as using the antiquated star ratings to classify hotels. There is often more within-chain variation when across brand variation.

Brands give you an expectation of what is standard, but properties themselves will either exceed or more rarely (for high-end brands) underperform their chain. Then you have location and seasonality that affects all prices before you arrive at the end-consumer signal of daily rates.

For example, Wyndham is a shit-tier, bottom of the barrel chain. Unexpectedly, all of their properties in New Zealand are surprisingly nice (not just for the price, which is saying a lot of Wyndham) as they're owned by the same owner who decided to flag all of them as Ramadas

>>2871874
I will forever rank Ibis as the greatest hotel chain. Many years ago when I had just started dating a girl I was with for a few years we went for a one day trip to another city. Basically we had very little privacy and we wanted to fuck really bad. Ended up going there and groping her in a park until some faggot called us out and we snapped out of it. Got my dick sucked immediately after checking in and then I railed her cunt. Her pussy started hurting and I couldn't go for seconds but I asked if she'd be down for anal. I had fingered her ass when I was kind of drunk and she didn't seem to mind so the idea was planted in my head. To me surprise she agreed. First ever time tucking a girl in the ass was so good. She was in pain but seemed to enjoy it, out of her mind with moaning and crying at the same time. I fucked her ass three times that night and she even went ass to mouth. Third time it wasn't so nice because it felt really loose and it wasn't that pleasurable beyond the visual aspect of railing a girl in her asshole. Turns out she had some issues with vaginal muscles that made regular sex more painful than it should be, so we ended up regularly doing anal. Plus she genuinely enjoyed it altho not always as she couldn't fully relax and sometimes my dick was too much.

Thank you Ibis

>>2871877
Oh and to not shit up the thread can anyone enlighten me what kind of people stay in these High end places? Is it mostly people doing business or you see tourists too? For the latter do you see any young rich people much at all?

>>2871878
People of means. Business travelers do not stay in as many high-end places as you think, especially in today's world of all-economy policies. There is always a mix of both as the property can then hedge against downturns in any type of guests.

My first experience at a Four Seasons decades ago was me pigging out at the buffer while the guy sitting next to me ate 3 small things and left. I've been on a journey to get to being that guy ever since. I've come a long way...

>>2871876
True. I have been to a Sheraton that has been more luxurious than a St. Regis. I have not noticed any difference between the Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn hotels I have stayed at. The only brand that has been consistently luxurious for me is W.

>>2871807
I really never understood the point of super fancy hotels.
If I'm traveling on vacation, or just traveling in general, chances are I'm only using the hotel to sleep and nothing else. I'm gonna be out all day each day, so why do I care how nice the hotel looks? A clean room and bed is all you need

>>2871889
please stay in your containment poorbnb with all the other scum that operate and patronize those places

>>2871890
NTA but can you actually explain how do you justify it? I'm assuming you're not so wealthy it doesn't matter if you spend 100 a night vs 500 or whatever.
When I'm travelling the only time I'm in a hotel room is if I'm sleeping, fucking or getting ready for the day. I like a nice room but I don't care for anything else. Location, price and decent standard is all I care for. Everytime I overpay for something fancier than that I feel good about it for the first five minutes after checking in but then it hits me I will barely be here anyway and the money I could have saved my going cheaper would have paid for my activities, food and going out. I'll often do hostels to cut the coats down even further and to have a social circle of similarly young adults immediately available. I've hooked up many times purely because I met nice girls in hostels.

>>2871882
>consistently luxurious for me is W
Just wait until you have a stay at the W Las Vegas (former Delano)

>>2871890
>mfw all I can afford is poorbnb
its not that bad but why the fuck would you not put curtains over all the windows and doors
this is the 3rd time there's been inadequate curtainage
blackout drapes are a blessing

>>2871889
>>2871894
I am not the first anon who responded to you/ But first thing is 500 is expensive even for high end luxury hotel. Like you can get a room in the top 3 tier in this chart >>2871874
in Eastern/Central Europe for like 200-300. I don't think it is worth it to pay half the price just to share the room with 5 randos.

Luxury hotels can offer a lot of service that you may feel worth it. Airport/baggage pick up, laundry, itinerary management, reservation, etc. They can get me a seat in a fully booked restaurant. I don't have to pack toothbrush, towel, slipper or even underwear. If I want a day trip, I can have a private driver drive me there instead of taking a train. If I want to buy gifts, I can have them send to my home instead of carrying in my luggage across several countries

>>2871915
Doesn't seem very compelling to me even if I could afford it easily desu, but to each their own.

>>2871874
Staying at chains is for people who want to larp as rich and are afraid to diverge from their comfort zone.

The best places I've stayed were some jungle and private island resorts in SE Asia. Miles from anyone, middle of the jungle, animals everywhere. Proper meals, colossal bath tubs, and isolated from everyone else. Plus it's funny to hear people like >>2871890 this think they're fancy because they stayed in some American chain hotel, basically a high budget McDonald's, and think they actually traveled somewhere and experienced something. Gives me a giggle.

>>2871894
For people staring at nice hotels it isn’t either or. The price I pay for a hotel has zero impact on any of my other spending during. I don’t spend less on a hotel and think oh now I can spend more on dinner.

>>2871945
It does make a difference for me because I travel for several months continously and if I'm not careful I'm overspending. I remember my travels and what I see, eat and do, and my nights out when I look back, but I can hardly remember the places I stayed in unless I met someone I liked there or had sex and it was good.

>>2871946
Which is totally fine. You’re just not the audience for what I would call a luxury hotel. Stuff like One and Only, Cheval Blanc, or estates like Adare Manor.

>>2871874
Poor list IMO.

>Hilton
>Sheraton
>Intercontinental
>Leonardo

Should be bumped down. They’re 1000% not in the same league as The Hoxton, Sofitel or Regent. Those are genuinely great hotels, not a single bad experience.

I’ve also had exceptionally good experiences at Novotel. Their hotel in Canary Wharf is fantastic.

I also refuse to stay at Marriott hotel brands. Ritz, JW, etc. I must say I quite like their Moxy hotels but I won’t go there out of spite. Fuck Marriott.

+1 for Edition hotels though. By far my favorite brand.

the most "upscale" hotel I stayed in was the fairmont royal york in toronto. A huge part of the price is just the location premium, from my point of view the experience in a mid-range budget hotel and a luxury one isn't that different unless you want access to a fancy overpriced restaurant
t. poorfag

>>2871863
How many turtleneck sweaters do you own?

Does it still count as high-end if it's really cheap because of the country it's in? I've been able to stay at luxury properties in Greece, which is otherwise poor as shit.

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>>2871807
I stayed at one of the penthouse suites at Caesar's Palace once. Honestly was pretty disappointed. Was very out of date. They had a place for you to put your iPod with the old long wide plug to play music throughout the room.

View was very nice though.

>>2871889
Same honestly
Like I fly at least business class always, so I can afford it, but that is to make an experience where the baseline is miserable, borderline inhumane torture into something that can even be a little pleasant.

But for hotels, as long as there's a clean bed and shower and amenities, it's all I need.
The one time I booked a fancy one was when it was the most accessible high rise building for some cityscape photography I wanted to do, sure it was pretty nice but the value proposition is skewed towards services that I don't really get to use to do being out all day

>>2871910
Curtains are literally a sign you’re poor

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2024/01/uncovered-windows-curtains-wealthy-neighborhoods/677204/

>>2871989
None that aren’t Issey Miyake

>>2871992
Do you get it comped, or paid? If comped, how much gambling are you doing? I'm only getting 1-2 free nights at the nicer MGM properties at my level

>>2872059
Nah I went during Christmas and they had a great discount for me at the check-in counter to upgrade so I took it. Was something like 75% off

>>2871878
>For the latter do you see any young rich people much at all
Yes, all the time. High-end brands WANT young customers because it starts a lifetime of loyalty (if chain & rewards). When all your customers are old, your brand is dying and don't have a future. e.g. Fairmont of cucknada, now an Accor brand

If you notice, most high end places try very hard to appeal to all customers of means, and the younger and better looking you are the more desirable. It need not be cutting edge like EDITION or W, but a good high-end property is never stuffy or dead-feeling

>>2871807
>What are the best high-end hotels you've stayed at?
100% Singita
nothing ever will beat Singita lodges
though you have to like Safaris

Auberge is also very nice (and not mentioned here yet)
but mostly US and I'm not traveling there often

the standard chains are all alright, but usually no destination in itself
like Four Seasons, MO, Rosewood, Raffles etc.

personally I'd rather go to an exceptional boutique hotel
>slh.com
is my go to for this

haven't been to the best Aman properties like Amanoi
the ones I've been to were very mixed
>>2871863
>places like Aman will boast about an employee to guest ratio, but this is not really that relevant as the higher end you go the more employees per guest
i always though aman was mainly about the general / personalized service and privacy

>>2871874
some are missing
and obviously you are missing out if you only go to chains
also not sure why Dorchester, Oetker and Cheval Blanc are higher up???
doesn't make any sense and looks like an ad for them

>Six senses
does not deserve to be this high
they completely went to shit in the recent decade, still some nice properties but it's a gamble

>>2871863
>The vast majority of the time, this concept is too hard for the poorfag mind to grasp
because you don't know what you're missing out until you stayed once without budget
what good is the best concierge if you only take the subway to some obscure place and eat convenience store food
and nothing to be gained from personal attention, good service and amenities if you either never leave your room or are never there

when I backpacked in my late teens / early 20s I didn't understand it either
stayed in a Four Seasons once with 19 as I was stranded (lost my wallet) and my parents paid
other than having a big room for myself, at the time I though there was no real other functional difference to the hostels I stayed before (if anything more boring)

you also put up with way more crap when you're young, which wouldn't be acceptable now

>>2871943
>Staying at chains is for people who want to larp as rich
uh not really
city properties of chains like Four Seasons are like half business guests during the week
and many tourists who stay there are (incomprehensibly) fiercely loyal to their brand of choice

some do have a more larpy crowd
FS George V was awful in that regard

>and are afraid to diverge from their comfort zone.
anon that's... literally the point of staying in a lux hotel
what you are paying for is a no friction, no stress, everything handled experience

>>2871943
>larp as rich
The only times I book a 150$+ hotel room is after a few days of wild camping with my gf to feel the contrast and pamper her a little.
But I make sure we go hang in the lobby or have a meal when we arrive with our dirty clothes and stink to break the other customers illusion that they're part of some precious elite.

>>2872123
Sorry to break your delusions but $150 room is literally for the poor and working class. Those are the kind of rooms my corpo books me into whenever they send me on a trip. You just tortured some random wageslaves trying to make a living for no reason

>>2872123
>150$+ hotel room
>some precious elite
holy KEK
>pamper her a little.
with what?
for that price neither your room nor the amenities will be particularly good

as you won't even get near entry level luxury
like literally no where (with exceptions to China maybe)

for the nicer places mentioned in this thread it's not even enough to add a 0 to your nightly rate
luxury hotels prices inflated a lot in recent years
e.g. the cheaper Aman places start somewhere around 1000-1500€/n
Four Seasons, which is usually regarded as the "baseline" for high end hotels but nothing special, it can be 400-500€/n for the most basic room in the cheapest locations

>>2872158
I am pretty sure you can stay in Ritz Carlton in China for 250. China luxury hotels are extremely cheap, cheaper than some SEA countries even. Ever since I found out about China pricing, it ruins the rest of the world for me. Shame I can't travel to China because of my security clearance

>>2872158
>>2872138
Marriott has rooms for 150 in eastern Europe. As I said it's an illusion that customers have that it's luxury but they sure act like it, and the staff plays along.
After 1 week in the mountains hot water is a luxury for her. She'd never pay that price though so it's my treat.

>>2872163
Anon, Marriot is a business traveler brand. They make most of their money from hosting people traveling for work. If you even think Marriot service is even an illusion of luxury, then you don't even know what luxury is.

>>2872160
You can regularly stay at the Ritz or St Regis Chengdu for $150/nt yes

>>2871874
I stayed at some tier 2 and 3 hotels in this chart, but the best hotels I've stayed at were some Raddison Blu hotels in Asia. The level of service, the buffet breakfasts, amenities, location, free airport pickup/dropoff.

Best breakfast I ever had in a hotel was in a Crowne Plaza in Tainan. The breakfast buffet was bigger than some of the buffets you see in Vegas. All freshly made, all delicious.

I guess the other comments are correct stating that there are levels within each hotel group.

for me it's:

clean and spacious bathrooms
breakfast buffets
centrally located

if a hotel doesn't have all three of those i don't care if it's $1 per night or $1000, i'm not interested

>>2872160
>Ritz Carlton in China for 250
yeah that's why I excluded China
the Chinese hotel market is extremely competitive with low local wages
which makes luxury hotels particularly cheap

a few years ago I stayed at the Aman Summer palace in beijing for like 600€/n
probably the cheapest of all Aman
though newer properties catch up to global prices, like MO Qianmen or the rissai valley Ritz are >1k/n (although both really really good)

contra of this is that you have "chinese" service
which is usually less anticipative than what you'd expect elsewhere
and the giant mid range luxury hotels are even worse in that regard
like the hard product is fine, but it's often not the same experience you'd expect from such a hotel

>>2872304
Holy, I just did some search and Kempinski is sub 100 and Capella is 300. I stayed at Capella Hanoi and it was 1k/n. How is China cheaper than Vietname when their wages are higher?

>>2872163
>Marriott has rooms for 150 in eastern Europe
which Marriott...?

something like W Budapest will still be >500/n
maybe a Autograph / luxury collection will have a basic room for 200 in Warsaw during low times
those can be okay, but usually you pay for the better location, full amenities and design there, not necessary service / luxury experience
nothing wrong with this, that's just what you'd typically call "entry level luxury"

>hot water is a luxury for her
i mean good for you
with that budget you can very well optimize to get a pool, big bathtub, nice Spa with Sauna etc.
and after hiking your budget is likely much better allocated there anyway

but my point still stands
the only people you'd be stinking at there are average business traveler and boomers who are loyal to their hotel chain
certainly not some "precious elite"

Are Michelin key hotels considered luxury? Many of them go for very cheap

>>2872307
>Kempinski is sub 100
read the reviews
like I've written, e.g. Kempinski Istanbul will be a very different experience from most chinese properties (though I think for Kempinski specifically there are exceptions which are good in China)

>Capella
i will never understand the hype around them
stayed in the Bangkok one when it got the "best hotel" or whatever award
don't get what's so special about it, still was a good stay though

>How is China cheaper than Vietname when their wages are higher?
i wouldn't be so sure about that
vietnam service sector is somewhat well paid compared to other jobs, while in China it's shit pay

also
building stuff is cheaper than anywhere else
and the whole infrastructure around is that of a developed country (in big cities) while having operating cost of 1/4th
the hyper competitive hotel market does the rest
just look at how often the big hotel change owners and franchises

Why are these retards arguing that he thinks he stayed in a luxury hotel? He literally said that the clientele thinks they're "elite" when its clearly some mid hotel. I swear you baboons are eager to larp as rich old money types and can't even read a post properly.

>>2872310
>Are Michelin key hotels considered luxury?
these are tiered just like their stars
>3 keys?
for sure, though there are big differences
>2 keys?
some yes, some no
>1 key?
generally no
>no keys, just selected
just like Michelin mentions, these are essentially worthless
now I do wonder if they have an equivalent to "bib gourmand" for hotels, doesn't look like it

michelin still has a certain target demographic
so it's unlikely that any of these hotels is completely shit
but the lower stuff is definitely not luxury by any metric

if you're just looking for hotels with good food
you'll be better off going with / searching for
>Relais & Châteaux

>>2872314
>as rich old money types
you do know that some of the non-neet, blue board demographic is relatively affluent?
when you're 30yo SWE with no dependents it's easy to spend 50-150k/y on some hobby or traveling

>>2872318
What do you call the Michelin selected/1 key hotel? I actually prefer Michelin selected and 1 star restaurants over 2+ stars. Selected restaurants usually serve dish with great ingredients and elevate it. Anything above just is just too goofy to be food.

>>2872323
>What do you call the Michelin selected/1 key hotel?
hm I don't think there really is consistent naming

the one I know and use is entry / mid level & true luxury as differentiation
but I doubt it translates to the michelin criteria

>actually prefer Michelin selected and 1 star restaurants over 2+ stars
the keys are not directly comparable though (other than being tiered with 3+1 categories)

at some point it makes much more sense to differentiate hotels for example by size
or how "exclusive" (/ over the top) they feel
or how subtle / explicit their service is
hotel quality scales very differently than restaurants
for the hard product, more is usually better in any case but even some of the listed 1key properties are excellent in that regard
so you're left with only soft product stuff to select by

for you that'd mean to avoid the big, grandiose or very artsy hotels and stead opt for more subdued, well positioned high end boutique hotels
which I guess would be the equivalent to "serve dish with great ingredients"

>>2872122
At that point, why travel? Just stay in a hotel in your own town and eat at Applebees.

>>2872337
>why not just stare at a blank wall for entertainment
is this a serious question?
or was it
>it's only real travel(tm) if you suffer
if that's necessary for you to enjoy your vacation... you do you

in any case, you still travel for culture, nature, food, the people or whatever interest you have
a nicer accommodation, transportation, etc. doesn't change the underlying reason to travel

unless of course, you just travel to suffer; then you're absolutely right

>>2872319
Yeah but 90% of the things posted are larps or exaggerated personal fantasies, you got shit for brains if you believe even half of what is said here.

>>2872359
You would be surprised at how much disposable income people have. At least all the places I stayed in are mostly full. Also, there are really no reason to larp on a dead board like /trv/

>>2871807
Mandarin Oriental had lovely rooms, very nicely designed, the staff were less than warm but always competent. Catered mostly to Israelis and Russians at the time, so I guess the staff were probably exhausted and on edge.
Various RCs pre-covid seem to have universally warm and homey, if dated, furniture, which is part of the charm. They were staffed by friendly, significantly more competent, and more creative and autonomous employees. If you need to be taken care of, RC has your back.
A few more boutique hotels had nicer rooms than RC, less standoffish staff than MO, but I've never had an experience where both of those benchmarks were outdone at once. Maybe it's an upper professional class treatment vs a fuck you money treatment.

PretentiousFaggot Anon is right about a lot of what he's saying however the star system does have merit in that a hotel has to meet certain criteria for them to be in that four or five star realm... but the quality of those elements can vary widely. For instance a 24 hour restaurant to be a true five star restaurant, etc.

Every hotel is unique and their own experience. There are five star hotels that are shitty and there are two and three star hotels that are pleasant surprises. The best example of this I can think of is Nevada where in Vegas the five star hotels are largely dumps nowadays yet you can find some spectacular off the beaten trail hotels that are unique great stays.

Another thing I'l like to throw out there is the American Express Fine Hotel and Resorts program is excellent if you're trying to stay at nice places. They have a ton of tremendous benefits like free breakfast, free room upgrades, free hotel/resort credits, early/late check-in, etc. They also have all the top bougie places you could want.

You also want to make sure you check prices between where you're booking and the property itself. I almost got fucked out of 2k book a Vegas penthouse this year through Amex/Expedia when I realized it was that much cheaper on the property's website.

Also after staying every type of hotel my whole life from truckstop motels to billionaires' retreats... rooms are just rooms. However luxury hotels are nice because traveling can be annoying as fuck and luxury hotels will try to cater to your every need. But you're not missing out on that much staying at a Best Western over a Four Seasons.

>>2872667

Also as previously mentioned, each property is their own experience. For instance the Omni San Francisco is one of the best hotels in town and a tremendous experience. Yet other Omni properties are dives. Same with Crown Plaza or any chain. The name on the front is just a name like McDonalds or Subway but each individual hotel is their own experience and operation.

It is best to do lots of research on places like Yelp and Travel Advisor, watch videos on YT and know what you're purchasing before you commit large amounts of money on "luxury hotels" as it is easy to get fucked.

>>2872668
>Yelp
>travel advisor
those sites are botted to hell and back and the reviews are all over the place. I usually go for award-winning properties

>>2872794
>those sites are botted to hell and back and the reviews are all over the place
and yet, they're still a good indicator if something went downhill in recent times
just ignore all the good / troll reviews
i'd add google maps reviews, reddit like r/fattravel (or the various similar ones like chubbytravel), tripadvisor and trip com to it

>usually go for award-winning properties
like which award?
because lists like theworlds50best are not really consistent and sometimes have very weird criteria
the top stops are usually a prime example on wasting money on average experience
there's even a discussion about michelin keys like 10 posts prior

>>2871807
>What are the best high-end hotels you've stayed at? What good features did they have?
I only travel to high end hotels simply because they're the destination, so I can't really relate to the discussions on brandings in this thread.
Here are some hotels I've stayed the past few years
>Explora Torres del Paine
Just wonderful. It's not the type of posh hotel but rather a wilderness retreat. The staff are very casual and you get a one-on-one where you discuss what kind of activities you'd like to do. Food can be meh at times but the open bar saves it. Great facilities. (jacuzzi, pool, etc) Unbeatable view of the mountains.
>Hotel Villa Honegg
Fell for the infinity pool meme but it's great. Isolated location, great food, breakfast of your choice that's delivered to your room. The only thing I griped about (but didn't say anything cause I didn't want to sound entitled) is I was staying there during my birthday and didn't get anything special at all. I don't want to make a fuss about it, but the business hotel I was staying at in Zurich knew my birthday was coming and handed me a small goody bag. That made a huge difference. The staff also felt robotic. This stay was years ago & apparently you're not allowed to use your camera at the pool anymore.
>Karma Kandara
An example of the multitude of luxurious resorts in Bali if you will, but something about the place felt different compared to the others. The isolated location, the gondola going down to the beach, the relaxed but welcoming vibe of the staff. I got a 2 floor villa with a private pool for less than what I could get in Thailand/other places in SEA so that enough was great.

I'm looking forward to staying at resorts I've been eyeing on in Namibia, Bora Bora, Oman & Italy soon

>>2871807
Downtown high rise in Tokyo.
Room was fine; big clean good location etc
Breakfast was absolutely superb

>>2871863
This is so alien to me. I like doing things myself. I get why you see this as winning, but you’re outsourcing your life

Luxury hotels are wasted on me. Ive spent some time at a few of them but to me is not really worth it. I rather have a cheap hostel and bang 20 something hoes from random countries. I assume when you travel somewhere you actually want to see the country not stay in the hotel all day. Your money is better spent on tours, food, cars etc.

>The Empire Brunei
Random place to go but i had a friend who lived here. The Sultan is trying to make the country touristy. I just hung out in the pool but they had a golf course, spa and what not. Very nice hotel but the beach itself had trash on it and you could see oil/gas platforms in the distance. There were also hardly any people in the hotel besides some Chinese businessmen. Also Brunei is a tiny country and there's 0 nightlife to speak of when i went. pretty though.

>Grand Hyatt Baha Mar
Rooms were nice. I took a nice bath in the room. Beach was right outside which was nice. You had tons of gambling, dining, shopping, and drinking options all day and night. There was also a water park and tons of pools to visit. I preferred the beach itself though. place was like a maze, you could probably find anything you wanted to do there. Place was full of retarded college frat boys though, i went around spring break. Don't do this. Those faggots get angry because when they don't get laid. Service staff are nice and accommodating at least.

>Cosmopolitan Las Vegas
Check in took ages. Place had gambling of course, and you are right on the strip so you have plenty of options to go to. I'm not a gambler so Vegas not really my scene. Hotel itself was fine, the dining areas were ok but the service was whatever. I can't even remember anything else about it.

>>2872912
>Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
Stood here on points. I think at one point they acted like i was too broke for this place. There's not much to it youre just really close to the beach and they have a good place to eat. Also a spa that i didn't use. If you can find an airbnb in the old city, just stay there instead though literally the beach is right there just hang out there

>>2872909
People who are rich enough often want to limit their interactions with the underclass. Just seeing them sour the mood

>>2872912
None of these are luxury hotels anon. Grand Hyatt isn’t even the top tier at Hyatt.

>>2872933
fair enough. to me it was but like i said i get nothing out of being at a top place. I am fine with having little

>>2872914
>Stood here on points. I think at one point they acted like i was too broke for this place
hotel staff sees who's paying cash and who's using points
some places intentionally hide that status, but often they treat you differently
so not really a surprise
also one advantage of using a TA, if they have enough volume / standing with the chain or even the property, you'll get treated (a little) better
not always not everywhere but it's noticable

if you ever go back to Dubrovnik
there are a bunch of really cool Villas which are build out as boutique hotels
they mostly go for buy outs but you can stay there normally and they're usually really pretty
like Villa Orsula
or within the city walls, Pucic Palace (albeit more entry level luxury)

>>2871877
Woman I worked with got raped in the local Ibis once after a team night out. We already called it the Abyss before that, but it became a bit less funny after.

I stayed in a Penthouse at the Bellagio in Vegas for free. It would have been like a $10K+ night room. You really can't even book it. They just offer it to high rollers. It was huge, but not that luxurious. The balcony had damage and it felt dated, like the heyday was probably 2003. We got to stay there because a buddy worked at the Bellagio and they had a last minute cancellation. The pool at the Bellagio is beautiful, but it's all old people and Arabs. Definitely not a fun vibe. The restaurants are super overpriced. The Aria and the Vdara are nicer and newer hotels. I prefer both of them to Bellagio any day.

The Grand Wailea in Maui is pretty great. Gorgeous hotel, great food, great pool. They don't let the fat locals loiter, which is nice. The beach is a little small, but if you have a car, you can drive 10 minutes to Makena beach and it's insane. That hotel feels like Hawaii. But it's just insanely expensive. I'd never shell out that kind of dough again.

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>>2871877

aman is massively overrated imo. best hotel i've stayed in is four seasons at 10 trinity, followed by ritz carlton residences in hawaii(they even helped me get a weed prescription - so 11/10 service)

never been to any of these euro ski destinations like gstaad because im a gook and can't ski. im also biased against korean hotels because im mixed and feel they always treat me like a poorfag, but some are absurdly nice too. fairmont ambassador & conrad seoul are some of the nicest highrise hotels on earth.

>>2873035
>four seasons at 10 trinity
really?
because there are soo many good hotels in London
the Connaught, Dorchester. Rosewood Chancery, Raffles OWO, Claridge's, the Berkeley, the Emory, MO hyde park, the peninsula etc.
never went to one twice because I wanna try the others

>never been to any of these euro ski destinations like gstaad because im a gook and can't ski
you could go hiking...
personally I enjoy it more than skiing anyway

Any euros can recommend a resort hotel like Naturhotel Forsthofgut or Hotel Krallerhof? I want to chill in spa and relax in hot spring. The above 2 hotels are nice but is there any hotel more luxurious?

>>2873048
>resort hotel like Naturhotel Forsthofgut or Hotel Krallerhof
so alps, Wellness / Spa and lux

>Bürgenstock Lake Lucerne
probably the best Thermal bath, wellness and Spa option all in one
>Forestis Dolomites
my favorite, more targeted for hiking, Spa is superb as well
>7132 Vals Thermalbad
no clue about the hotel, only been to the thermal bath part
>Schloss Elmau
also really big spa, good food, great hotel
it's famous for a reason and not a surprise high political events like G7 are often there
>Das König Ludwig
massive Spa, but mixed experience
I had a good time, but it doesn't seem universal
>Aqua Dome
not a luxury hotel, but thermal bath is absolutely worth a visit

honorable mention outside the alps
>Blue Lagoon in Iceland
the connected hotel is actually great

though honestly
at least for Germany, Switzerland and Austria
all the really big hot spring thermal baths are public and not connected / only indirectly connected to a hotel
unless you REALLY want the privacy, convenience or specific Spa treatments, I'd recommend just "touring" around for the public thermal baths
so you can visit
>Baden-Baden
>Vichy
>Bath (England)
>Budapest
or one of the gigantic Thermal Baths like
>Therme Erding
>Therme Bucharest
>Rottal Terme
>Thermal bath Hajdúszoboszló
none of them are luxurious by any means (although you can usually book some extra stuff)
but still pretty cool to visit if you enjoy thermal baths

>>2872999

We booked one of the penthouse suites at VDara through their Secret Suites and it was pretty sick. I normally hate Vegas but the Vdara was great because it doesn't have gambling or any of that annoying Vegas bullshit. But if you wanted it the hotel connects to Bellagio, Cosmopolitan and Aria. The penthouse was sick at Vdara, it was so big we could have played football in the living room. The Secret Suites at Vdara are covertly some of the best rooms and deals in Vegas since you get fat fucking suites with free valet and no resort fees and a bunch of other amenities. I will never go the poor fag route in Vegas after experiencing that. Especially since I fucking hated Vegas and all the Vegas bullshit before that stay at Vdara.

Cosmopolitan is about the most faggoty bullshit place I've ever seen. So many nu-male faggots walking around and they pump this cheap perfume into the place that makes it smell like a cheap bordello. I've never seen faggots trying so hard as they were in the Cosmo. Bellagio is a dilapidated shithole but I love the garden in there.

>>2872999
Did your acquaintance say anything about how much gambling is needed to get comped into that? Bellagio restaurants with a chef's name on it I find worth going to. Tried Spago and Lago on most recent trip.

>Aria and the Vdara are nicer and newer hotels
Ironically, Bellagio, Aria/Vdara, and Cosmopolitan are all built around the same time. I personally like Cosmopolitan but these are entirely theming choices

>Grand Wailea in Maui
I've been to this property many times as a local for staycations, and it is outclassed by all of its neighbors, despite of its high price. Grand Wailea flags as a Waldorf Astoria, but does not in any way feel "anticipatory", it is entirely reactionary. The pool and lazy river attracts kids, and the whole place has a theme park-like atmosphere (bad meaning). There are no high-end Hilton-chain properties in Hawaii except the LXR (Trump Waikiki re-flag and renovation).

Compare this to the Four Seasons Maui Wailea next door which has the best soft product with a property that's bit dated, the Wailea Resort (Marriott) on the other side which is no worse than the Grand Wailea but priced lower in line with its brand, and the Andaz on the other side of the Marriott. To give you a sense, celebrities generally stay at the Four Seasons and are spotted regularly.

The beach in front of the Grand Wailea/Four Seasons/Marriott is actually the better beach if you think about sand quality. Makena has coarse, large sand particles. It's big and open, but depends on what you're lookin for.

to everyone saying that they only use to hotel to sleep and shower...

> mardarin, ritz in Jakarta
> four season mumbai
> places i've stayed where the hotel was more enjoyable than the city

i went to Cairo recently and stayed at the Hilton Ramses. What a dump. Not saying that's a luxury hotel at all. A worn down, depressed 2 star masquerading as a 4 star.

I went to Dubai after and decided i need to make up for it so I stayed at the Fairmont. I would have paid double the price i paid because it was that great after the hilton shithole in cairo.

>>2873100
>jakarta
>mumbai
kek

>to everyone saying that they only use to hotel to sleep and shower...
because the "default" mode of travel on /fit/ is exploration
and it would be shame to spend too much time in the hotel because you'd miss the actual part of your travels

with resorts, the hotel becomes the destination
but these are far less discussed here
personally I also only do these when my wife wants them from time to time

places like Naviva, Amanoi, Ritz Reserve Costa Rica, Velaa, Kisawa
or basically every non-city Aman or Cheval Blanc and countless others
or Safari Lodges like Singita, &beyond etc.
these are all destination in itself, you specifically go there for the hotel, for the resort

>>2873101
>Cairo recently and stayed at the Hilton Ramses
why? just why would you do this??
the only sensible choice in Cairo is Mena House
to avoid all the horrible traffic
if you must stay in the city, FS or St regis

in Luxor and Aswan there's a bit more choice like Al Moudira or Old Cataract which are both really nice (albeit not super high end)
but the actual cool way to do this is to rent a yacht a cruise the nile for a few days

>>2873121
> why? just why would you do this??
yes, big mistake bro. lesson learnt for next time.

>>2873065
Thanks anon. These look nice and I have heard good thing about Aqua Dome. Do you know any place outside of the Alps? I am not specifically looking the Alps because I can't ski or like to hike. There is a spa in the salt mine near Krakow but the hospital resort that houses it is very run down so I didn't stay. Some Poles recommend me Zakopene but they look more like water parks rather than proper hotels

>Therme Erding
>Therme Bucharest
>Rottal Terme
>Thermal bath Hajdúszoboszló
Which one do you rates highest? I can go to about 3-4 countries and want to stay about a week at each location

>>2873126
>have heard good thing about Aqua Dome
yeah it's really good especially the views

>but the hospital resort that houses it is very run down
that's sadly a common thing
outside the few major destinations in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria & England and maybe Italy

for more health oriented stuff you could also check out
>lanserhof
>palazzo fiuggi
which both have properties outside or are outside the alps

I already mentioned it but you should really check out
>blue lagoon
it's likely exactly what you're searching for
loved it there, stayed for 4nights which was quite long

>Which one do you rates highest?
depends on what you want
probably first check out
>Therme Erding
it's the largest? thermal bath in the world
can get quite crowded so book one of the suites / chalets for privacy
but it's massive and has enough baths + saunas for multiple days, also a separate waterpark (with very loud kids)
like I said the hotel there is very basic and more for families, just stay in the Rosewood Munich and take the ~40min drive

keep in mind that it's a very different experience than the hotel Spas mentioned before


>I can go to about 3-4 countries
>want to stay about a week at each location
if you don't mind the flights
do Hungary -> Munich -> Iceland
or for shorter routes (possible with trains)
Hungary -> Munich -> Baden-Baden

or stay at a few of my prior mentioned properties on the way
but I imagine, being in or near a city to explore and more food & Spa options is generally better for a week

>>2873092
>I personally like Cosmopolitan but these are entirely theming choices

I completely respect your opinion and probably just had a bad first impression of it since I was wandering around just trying to find a burger down there and it was ridiculous. But I'm an old fag who's married, if you're young I could see how Cosmo could be great.

>>2873048
Entirely depends on what you actually want. If you just want luxury spas it's different list from actual thermal baths and if you want to some special treatments it's another list ...

General getting pampered locations with good spas:
The Dolder Grand (Zurich, CH)
Panorama Resort & Spa (Feusisberg near Zurich, CH)
Schlosshotel Fiss (Fiss, AT)
Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt (Rottach-Egern, DE)
Miramonti Boutique Hotel (Halfing, near Meran, IT)
Ermitage Wellness & Spa Hotel (Gstaad, CH)
Wellness & Spa Resort Quellenhof (near Meran, IT)
More of a sea side resort
Pizzomunno Vieste Palace Hotel (Vieste, near Bari, IT)

I could come up with some other stuff.

>>2873209
And if you have a family check out
Märchenhotel Braunwald(Braunwald, CH)

>>2873209
>>2873210
I am a solo traveler.

> luxury spas it's different list from actual thermal baths
Either is fine for me. I like to stay in resorts/hotels which are by themselves worth a trip. Bonus if they are near a city so I can explore nearby areas. Examples are Hoshinoya Tokyo and Castelfalfi